The Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 defines a cheque as a bill of exchange drawn on a specified banker and not expressed to be payable otherwise than on demand.

Cheque is a very common form of negotiable instrument.

If you have a savings bank account or current account in a bank, you can issue a cheque in your own name or in favor of others, thereby directing the bank to pay the specified amount to the person named in the cheque.

The person who draws a cheque is called the ‘drawer’.

The banker on whom it is drawn is the ‘drawee’ and

the person in whose favor it is drawn is the ‘payee’.

Actually, a cheque is an order by the account holder of the bank directing his banker to pay on demand, the specified amount, to or to the order of the person named therein or to the bearer.

Cheque Types Pdf Download – Short note for IBPS, BBA, MBA, LLB

Features of a Cheque

A cheque must be in writing and duly signed by the drawer.

It contains an unconditional order.

It is issued on a specified banker only.

The amount specified is always certain and must be clearly mentioned both in figures and words.

The payee is always certain.

It is always payable on demand.

The cheque must bear a date otherwise it is invalid and shall not be honored by the bank.

There are Four types of cheque which we use in daily business operations and life .which are mention below.

1. Open cheque:

A cheque is called ‘Open’ when it is possible to get cash over the counter at the bank. The holder of an open cheque can do the following:

i. Receive its payment over the counter at the bank, ii. Deposit the cheque in his own account iii. Pass it to some one else by signing on the back of a cheque.

2. Crossed cheque:

Since open cheque is subject to risk of theft, it is dangerous to issue such cheques.

This risk can be avoided by issuing other types of cheque called ‘Crossed cheque’.

The payment of such cheque is not made over the counter at the bank.

It is only credited to the bank account of the payee.

A cheque can be crossed by drawing two transverse parallel lines across the cheque, with or without the writing ‘Account payee’ or ‘Not Negotiable’.

c) Bearer cheque:

A cheque which is payable to any person who presents it for payment at the bank counter is called ‘Bearer cheque’.

A bearer cheque can be transferred by mere delivery and requires no endorsement.

d) Order cheque:

An order cheque is one which is payable to a particular person.

In such a cheque the word ‘bearer’ may be cut out or cancelled and the word ‘order’ may be written.

The payee can transfer an order cheque to someone else by signing his or her name on the back of it

Post-dated Cheque:

Cheque on which drawer mentions a date which is subsequent to the date on which it is presented, is called post-dated cheque.For example, if a cheque presented on 18 May 2014 but bears a date of 30 July 2015 , it is a post-dated cheque. The bank will make payment only on or after 30 july 2015.

Mutilated Cheque:

In case a cheque is torn into two or more pieces and presented for payment, such a cheque is called a mutilated cheque.

The bank will not make payment against such a cheque without getting confirmation of the drawer.

But if a cheque is torn at the corners and no material fact is erased or canceled, the bank may make payment against such a cheque.

Ante-dated cheques:

Cheque in which the drawer mentions the date earlier to the date of presenting if for payment.

For example, a cheque issued on 20 June 2014 may bear a date of 2 june 2014

Stale Cheque:

A cheque which is issued today must be presented before at bank for payment within a stipulated period.

After expiry of that period, no payment will be made and it is then called ‘stale cheque’